Daijiworld Media Network – Lucknow
Lucknow, May 11: In a significant boost to India’s defence capabilities, defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday virtually inaugurated the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile production unit at the Uttar Pradesh defence industrial corridor in Lucknow. The high-tech facility, built at a cost of Rs 300 crore, is set to manufacture 80 to 100 missiles annually.
Developed by BrahMos Aerospace a joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya the BrahMos missile is known for its pinpoint accuracy and “fire and forget” guidance system. With a range of 290 to 400 km and a top speed of Mach 2.8, it can be launched from land, air, or sea.
Alongside the production unit, the Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility was also inaugurated. This facility will handle the integration and testing of both current and next-generation BrahMos missiles. While the current version weighs 2,900 kg and is carried singly by Sukhoi jets, the lighter next-gen version at 1,290 kg with a range over 300 km will allow jets to carry up to three missiles at once. Production for these advanced variants is also expected to start soon, with 100 to 150 missiles to be manufactured annually and deliveries slated within a year.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present at the event, which also saw the launch of the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant (Strategic Materials Technology Complex), dedicated to producing critical materials for the aerospace and defence sectors.
The foundation stone for the Defence Testing Infrastructure System (DTIS) was also laid, setting the groundwork for comprehensive testing and certification of defence products.
The BrahMos production facility, spread across 80 hectares of land provided free by the Uttar Pradesh government, was completed in just three and a half years. The project is a key component of the Defence Industrial Corridor initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 Global Investors’ Summit. Uttar Pradesh, with six major nodes including Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, and Chitrakoot, is the second state after Tamil Nadu to establish such a corridor to attract defence investments.